The New Era
by Angie Uzumaki
Summary: Time changes things... An unexpected event happens, a shinobi like no other is made hokage, a love for a friend blossoms in a kuniochi, a war breaks out, and an old friend decides to show up. Will The Land of Fire perish? *narusaku shows up a lot*
1. Goodbye

**1. Goodbye**

Sakura laid her hand on the wooden gritty material. Right now she sat on the very bench she sat where she met sasuke for the first time and saw him for the last time. Three years had passed since he left and team 7 changed so much. Sasuke turned into a complete avenger; always power hungry. Naruto went from "zero to hero" by surpassing his masters and becoming a sage. Sakura transformed into a super strong kunoichi and a medical ninja.

_Come on Sakura snap out of it! Sasuke-kun will come to konoha in no time! Ugh now I sound like that baka haha. _Sakura sighed. It was no use. She still missed sasuke and yearned for him to come back. Especially now since today was the day where he had left. She always remembers this day as if it were a birthday and on this day is where she feels the most depressed. She tried to avoid everyone as much as possible so they wouldn't see her depression.

"Hey Sakura-chan! Whatcha doing!" Sakura gasped in surprise. _That Baka, when did he get here? "_Oh h...hi Naruto." Naruto cocked an eyebrow. She usually calls him an idiot so something wasn't right. "What's wrong you don't look right."

"I'm FINE naruto." Sakura regretted saying that. It sounded a bit more harsher then she intended.

Naruto sighed. _It must be Sasuke... _"Don't worry I'll get Sasuke back! I Promise— "

"WHAT DO THOSE WORDS EVEN MEAN! YOU DIDN'T GET HIM BACK THE FIRST TIME SO WHY THE HELL SHOULD I BELIEVE YOU! IT'S YOUR FAULT SASUKE LEFT!"

Naruto was left astonished. "MY FAULT! HOW COULD IT BE MY FAULT!"

"It's your fault because if you hadn't accepted to battle him at the hospital roof top then NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE EVER HAPPENED!"

That's it. She had to let it out she couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from the bench and started to leave. "Sakura chan wait... If you truly feel that way... Then why didn't you tell me this three years ago?"

Sakura was about to respond but it was too late, Naruto had already left.

**=Ichiraku Ramen=**

It was five in the afternoon but Sakura was already hungry. One of her weaknesses was that she always gets hungry when she's depressed. For some strange reason she decided to go to Ichiraku's. She didn't know why but she just had to go there. Unfortunately though, her enemy was there: Ino Yakamana.

_Ino Pig what could she be doing here. Dammit why did I pick Ichiraku's!_

"Well well, looks like Bill Board Brow decided to show up!"

Sakura stuck out her tongue. She wasn't in the mood to argue. After her fight with Naruto she felt worse. She just wanted to eat and go home. Her feelings weren't working right. She regretted saying those words to Naruto. Naruto was her best friend. Some times even mo... Sakura stopped in her thoughts. _Ugh what the heck am I thinking! It was Naruto's fault Sasuke-kun left. I shouldn't regret saying the truth. And Naruto is just a mere friend, in fact he is just annoying. He should just leave me alone Hmph. _

"Hey Sakura stop spacing out will ya?" Sakura snapped out of her thoughts. She looked down to see that her ramen, once piping hot was dead cold.

"Anyways, Aren't you going to say good bye and good luck to Naruto?" _Naruto's leaving? What's going on? _

"Ino what's going? Why is he leaving?" Ino sighed. _God what's wrong with Sakura? Shes acting weird..._

"Hasn't he told you? I'm surprised. You're one of Naruto's closest friends. You would be the first person he would tell, but anyways he's leaving to go off on a super S rank mission along with five other jounin. The mission is going to be pretty tough so we won't know when they will come back. It's best to wish him good luck or at least say good bye."

Sakura was shocked. "But why? He isn't even a jounin yet. He isn't even a CHUNNIN yet!" She couldn't help but to start feeling worried.

"I don't know beats me. Probably cause he's a sage now, but come on! Let's go wish him luck!" Sakura froze for a while. No... She wasn't going. He wasn't her friend. He made Sasuke left.

"No. You can go ahead. I'm staying here." Ino was shocked.

"What! Are you serious? This mission can take incredibly long! Who knows when will you see him again! I don't know about you, but you are lucky to have such a friend and person like Naruto on your team." And with that ino left leaving a slight guilty Sakura behind.

**=Sakura's apartment=**

It was midnight already and Naruto had already left for his big mission. Sakura sat on her bed feeling guilty. _Naruto... I'm... Naruto.. Good bye and good luck on your mission..._

She kept thinking that all night long and without noticing it, she was also crying all night long.

** *Hmm when is Naruto going to be back? Anyways I hope you liked the first chapter from my first Fanfic! The next chapter is going to be surprising you'll see . NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! please feel free to review and follow along! Shanaro!***


	2. The News

**2. The News**

Five weeks has passed since Naruto had left for his mission and Sakura was beginning to worry. It wasn't only her but by the looks of it, Tsunade was starting to worry too.

_Seriously, when are they going to to come back? With 5 jounin and Naruto it should have been a breeze. What exactly was that mission... What is going on? _

Right now, Sakura was in the hokage's office helping Tsunade organize her paperwork. It was tiring but shizune was gone in a mission so Sakura had to take her place. Sakura couldn't take it anymore. She had to ask her master what was going on. "Master what exactly is going—"

"HOKAGE SAMA! One of the jounin from the S rank mission is here!" Sakura was interrupted as Kotetsu (a chunnin) barged into the office helping support a fatally wounded jounin.

"What... What in the world? WHERE ARE THE OTHERS! WHAT HAPPENED!" The jounin shocked by the Tsunade's loud roar trembled a bit and gasped.

"They were too strong. *coughing struggling to catch breath* The others... The others are dead." The last sentence left a deadly silence in the room. Tsunade pounded her fist against her desk. _That can't be... Those were some of the strongest jounin. And Naruto... He was plenty of strong. Heck he even defeated Pein! Why would this happen? Were the Earth Ninja really that strong? Dammit! _"Kotetsu! Please take the jounin to the hospital!" Kotetsu nodded and left for the hospital leaving Tsunade and Sakura alone.

Sakura couldn't believe it... Naruto was dead. He was dead. She wasn't going to see him smile again. She wasn't going to see him laugh again. She wasn't going to hear her nickname "Sakura-chan" again. She wasn't going to see his sky blue eyes again. She wasn't going to see him fight again.

She wasn't going to ever see him again.

She wailed. She wailed the loudest and longest wail of her life.

**=Madara's hideout=**

Madara looked at his reflection from the small puddle of water. _Hmm the rinegan does look rather dashing on me heh. Mmm I guess it's about time to capture the eight tails and the nine tails. _Madara looked behind him and saw the lonely avenger looking blankly at the wall with what looked like boredom. _That Sasuke... I recon that in a few years that bastard is gonna surpass me. Not that it's a bad thing. It just means that everything is according to plan. _

"Tobiiii! I got news!" Madara's thought got interrupted as Zetsu emerged out of the ground as usual.

"Zetsu what is it?" Zetsu's expression turned into a worried one. _If I tell him he will get mad at me for no reason. __**Just tell him. You are part of akatsuki aren't you? **__I know black Zetsu but still... __**You know what? I'll tell him since you are a coward to do so. **__Aww but I'm no coward. It's just that tobi is strong..._

"**Madara it appears that the nine tails jinchuriki is dead." **Madara was taken aback while Sasuke in the back was listening quietly.

"What! We can't extract a biju from a jinchuriki once it's dead! Where's the body!" White Zetsu started to fidget a bit. _He is going to blow... __**Shut up and let me handle this. **__Ok your furneral..._

"**The body is no where to be found Madara.**" Madara chuckled but it wasn't a chuckle that would make want to join along... It was a sinister chuckle. A chuckle that would send chills down your spines.

"Really? You couldn't find the body. You two are specialists in that field and have managed to find even the most rarest bodies. Yet... You can't manage to find a simple body of a jinchuriki. By now know I would have killed you. No, tortured you. Probably wound you beyond repair. However, as you can see, your type is rare to find. Heck you two are probably the only ones of your type. I don't even know how you ended up in your state anyways. Just remember... One slip up and it's over."

White Zetsu gulped and felt that even Black Zetsu was started to get intimidated.

"So, why did he die?" Everyone turned around to see that Sasuke had suddenly joined the conversation. White Zetsu nodded and got the courage to talk this time.

"It appears he got sent in a super S rank mission with five other jounin. The purpose was to get some intel from The Land of Earth. Why? I don't know but it seems they have been quite hostile lately. Out of the six shinobi, only one survived."

Sasuke looked down to stare at his feet. _That dope died? That's hard to believe. He never gave up no matter what. Ugh what's this feeling. I don't care if he is dead. He was about to die anyways. Stupid Konoha. Why did they send him in a mission like that? _Sasuke felt something he hadn't felt since the day he discovered Itachi's truth. He felt his eyes beginning to burn and spill a clear liquid called tears. He tried to hid his face in his hair so that Madara and Zetsu wouldn't see him.

Madara narrowed his eyes. "Sasuke, why would you want to know that?" Sasuke clenched his fist and came up with only one response: "I just wanted to fight him."

**Haha I made Sasuke cry again! I'm so evil I feel like Madara! Anyways I'm sorry for making Naruto die. Unfortuantely the mission was too strong for him :( Next chapter will surprise you though! NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. Feel free to review and follow along! Ciao!**


	3. Heading Out

**3. Heading Out**

Sasuke sat and stared coldly at the ground. He hated Konoha with all his life. Konoha was the one that caused his pain. Thanks to Konoha, the people he cared about now are gone. He closed his eyes. The day was sure windy which reminded him of a blond idiot who once had a wind type chakra.

_Why am I still thinking if the dope! Ugh! _Sasuke looked to his right as the wind was softly eroding a rock. _Rocks sure look tough but over time they weaken... _Sasuke stood up an stretched. _Alright you better watch out Konoha. _

"Sasuke what are you doing?" Sasuke turned around to see Madara behind him.

"Hpmh nothing. I'm thinking of heading out." Madara cocked a brow behind his mask.

"Where exactly to you plan on going?"

"Thats none of your business." Madara sighed at Sasuke's request. _That Sasuke..._

"Alright do as you wish." Sasuke quietly sighed in relief. _Good he let me go. Now it's time to go to Earth Country and commence the "Destruction Of Konoha". _

**Alright this chapter is a bit short but I did it on purpose to take a view on Sasukes side. Besides I don't want the story to move on too fast. Well I hope you continue to read my fanfic and follow along, enjoy! NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO **


	4. His True Name

**4. His True Name**

Sakura laid on her bed "lifeless". She felt that she was the one that should have died or at least die too. She was always the worthless one on team 7. She always felt that all she had ever done was look at was her team members' backs. She was always in need of protection no matter what. All she could do was just stand there with a Kunai hoping for the best or for a savior to come just in time. But it just wasn't just that. She wasn't that devastated when Sasuke left. Had she all along never truly loved Sasuke? Had she always felt something for Naruto? Had she always loved him?

Tears started rolling down her face as she remembered him. _I have always loved him haven't I. Naruto... It was always you that I've wanted by side. I've always felt scared or panicked when you had a wound that was harsh. I've always called you an idiot even though the real idiot was me. I hate myself for not trusting my feelings. You were right Naruto. I do lie to myself. I have lied to myself for so many years thinking that the one for me was Sasuke but it wasn't. It was always you. Naruto... Please come back. I'm so sorry for what I have said to you._

"Sakura, Tsunade-sama wants you at her office." Sakura looked out her window as she saw Kakashi at her balcony. Noticing her current condition, Kakashi decided to add, "It's about Naruto... It's important that you know this." At the sound of Naruto's name Sakura immediately got out of bed and decided to go and follow Kakashi to the Hokage's office.

Once Sakura arrived she noticed that Sai was there. Sakura looked at Kakashi for an answer but the one that responded was Tsunade. Since he was a member of the new team 7 he had ought to know too.

"Sakura, Sai, the reason I have called you out here is to let you know Naruto's true name since you are both members of team 7 and you two are his closest friends." Sakura and Sai looked a bit surprised. What did she mean by his real name?

"Anyhow, Uzumaki Naruto was never his real name. Sure part of it is true since his mother was an Uzumaki but his father wasn't. Naruto's real name was Namikaze Naruto." Even Sai had to widen his eyes on that one. They couldn't believe it. It couldn't be. If his title was Namikaze, wasn't that the same as the Fourth's? This time it was Sai's turn to talk. "So you're saying that... His father was the Fourth Hokage?"

"Yes that's exactly what I'm saying. Namikaze Minato was his father." Sakura clenched her fist. _No way... _"HOW CAN A FATHER SO SUCH A CRUEL THING TO HIS SON! WHY DID HE SEAL THE NINE TAILS IN HIM!" Everyone turned around to Sakura's sudden outburst. Sakura was to the point of tears and looked like she was going to hyperventilate. Kakashi looked at Tsunade to see if he should take her out of the room for a second but Tsunade shook her head. She must hear this. She was Naruto's closest friend.

"Sakura calm down. Look, I don't know the details but he must have had a reason. Also I assume from what Kakashi has told me, Naruto already knew this and had accepted this. The only person that could have told you why and about his parents would have been Naruto but he's no longer here with us. Just keep that in mind." Tsunade looked over to Sakura unsure of how she was taking in the information. _Sakura... You really did love him didn't you?_

Sakura just stood there looking down at her feet unsure of what to think or feel and then she had a flashback of what happened three years ago one time when she was with Tsunade...

_ It was tiresome. Spending time organizing documents while everyone one else was having fun wasn't a very fun thing to do but she had so choice. Her master would beat her to death if she refused to help organize her mess of paperwork. Worser yet, her rival was here with her as she also decided to train under the merciless woman. As she was sorting through some stuff she found a picture of a blond young man. Boy was he hot! If he had a son she would definitely be his girlfriend. "Oh my god! That is the cutest person ever! I call dibs on his son bill board brow!" Sakura scoffed as she saw Ino looming over he shoulder looking at the picture. _

_ "Why would he fall for a pig like you? And he might not even have a son." Ino blushed. "Well he could. Anyways let's ask Tsunade! She might know who this hunk is!" Sakura hated to agree with Ino but nodded anyways and went with Ino outside on the rooftop where Tsunade was looking over the village. "Hey Tsunade-sama! Sakura found this picture of this young man! Who is he?" Tsunade looked at the two girls in disbelief. Seriously haven't they seen this guy already? Tsunade sighed. These young ones have got a lot to learn. _

_ "That young man you see on the picture is the same one on the rocks. He is the Fourth Hokage." Sakura couldn't believe it. He looked way too cute in the picture to suit the face in the rock wall behind the village. She felt kind of bad that he was dead though but then again... "Master does he happen to have a son or a daughter?" Tsunade laughed at Sakura's question for she knew the answer to that but she couldn't tell that. _

_ "Maybe who knows." Sakura's sprits dropped a little but not Ino's, she decided to press on. "Is he here in Konoha?" Tsunade laughed. If only they knew who he was. _

_ "Like I said, who knows. Come on you two, go get back to work!" Sakura and Ino bowed and said their apologies and left, each having their own fantasies of how the Fourth Hokage's son would have looked like._

_So it was always you. Right Namikaze Naruto?_

**Aww I guess Sakura finally comes into terms with her feelings. Well I hoped you liked this chapter and feel free to review and follow along! NOTE: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. Ciao**


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